Contrairimairi just sent me an e-mail about a Natural News post by Mike Adams. The author argues that because of electronic telecommunication:
"...instant communication is available to almost everyone. A new law being proposed in Washington could be instantly read -- and voted on -- by the People all across America. The Internet has made the whole purpose behind the U.S. Congress obsolete... irrelevant. Why do Americans need someone else to represent them when we can all just read and vote on the bills ourselves? In an age of instant communications, Congress is no longer needed."
The author misconstrues the reason for republican as opposed to democratic government. In fifth century Athens, 2,200 years before the American revolution, direct democracy did exist. The problems were not a matter of communication because Athens was small. Aristotle did not see democracy to be as good as aristocracy. He had seen democracy first hand in Athens. The problems with it were severe. They had to do the emotional nature of groups and mobs; the willingness of the populace to succumb to tyrants; and the eagerness of opportunistic poor people to steal the property of those more successful than themselves. Crowd psychology is easily manipulated. Lynchings and mass murder have been associated with democracy as well as tyranny (which Aristotle saw as the perverse form of monarchy). Aristotle preferred aristocracy to democracy, but held that a mixed form of government is most preferable.
The Founders were aware of these arguments, and equally, were concerned with Aristotle's claim that democracy amounted to rule by the needy. The many will not acquire as much property as the few, and will pass laws to deprive the competent and successful of property, arrogating it to themselves. This will cause the economy to deteriorate as competent people cease to put forth effort.
In our world, the existence of electronic media permits elites to manipulate public opinion in their favor. The ease of communication that television and the Internet permit means that hundreds of millions can think like a single mob. Plans like the bailout and the health insurance bill will seem on the surface to support the poor, in the case of the bailout to prevent unemployment and in the case of the health care bill to make coverage universal. But the effect of these laws is inevitably to further the ends of economic elites.
More democracy gives greater power to the elite power structure. The power of the mass media is too great for bloggers to compete. Even conservative bloggers allow the Wall Street-dominated mass media to control the terms of public debate and harp endlessly about the brain-dead mass media. They do not trust themselves to generate their own ideas, and remain slaves of the Wall Street power structure.
Charles de Secondat, Baron of Montesquieu developed the idea of mixed government further. He argued that the republican form of government is best supported by a federation or federal form of government. The Founding Fathers studied Montesquieu carefully. The Swiss provided an example of a federation that was stable.
The Founders argued that the mixed form of government would work best, and they were right. The American republic has lasted longer than any other.
But Aristotle argued that all forms of government are unstable, and that they transmute into each other. We are seeing that now. The instability began with Progressivism, which enhanced the amount of democracy. The high degree of democracy led to the manipulability of public opinion by the power elite and the increasing amount of lobbying and special interest power. Repeatedly, led by the left (whose impulses, including its advocacy of socialism have repeatedly served Wall Street's interests), America has instituted laws that seem to serve the mass but instead serve the wealthy. This has led to the same pattern that will result from Mike Adams's plan in Natural News: more democracy on the surface coupled with greater power in fact to the power elite.
A better approach would be to disempower Congress. That means reinventing federalism to download power to the states and end Congress's ability to pass the bullsh*t laws that is has. Spin off the federal regulatory structure to the states (including social security) and allow each state to decide how to pass laws. The competition that will result will infinitely improve decision making.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Contrairimairi on Lt. Col. Ralph Peters
I just received this from Contrairimairi in Chicago.
> I saw one of the interviews with the Col. He was spot on! This man should be calling more of the shots for the military. He does NOT mince words or play games.....you remember....the way our military USED to be!
I just sent out info on how P/C was destroying this Country recently. Everyone has to constantly "pussy-foot" around issues in fear they "might" insult someone else......BALDERDASH!
In my world now, there is ONLY "black and white"......like my Dad. What an AMAZING person he was! How I miss him! He was 100% Polish......and LOVED Polish jokes. He just couldn't get enough of them. I am 1/2 Polish, and much like my Dad, I love and retell Polish jokes like there was no tomorrow. Anyone who may be insulted....PLUG YOUR EARS!
This has gotten so unbelievably out of hand.....P/C is what empowers people like PIGLOSI! Keep the masses scurrying on "non-issues".....and BLAST them when they are not looking....or....even when they ARE!
I am no longer comfortable with "waiting" till the mid-terms. I believe Americans must REMOVE every member of Congress, the usurper-in-chief.......AND all members of our judiciary until we find trustworthy replacements who will ADHERE to the Constitution. All laws passed since Chet Arthur should be repealed. We now know he was also a usurper. Nothing he did was legal....and therefore.....IMHO....everything since can be judged on that foundation....and DISMISSED!
That means, OUT with the FED! OUT with IRS and Income Tax......out with Medicare and Medicaid......I say, turn it over to the private sector, and let them run with it. Things will be a bit messy for a while.....but I believe only for the short term. Americans are VERY good at working against the odds....and I am on the side of our People.
Call me crazy, but there is a story out today calling for the end of Congress since it's practicality is long out-dated. We have instant access to media....legislation.....and it is not difficult for the People to vote and have their decision COUNT! I am for it.....those who care to take the time to insure this Country is guided under Constitutional Principles should be checking the situation out. There is no more need for Congress, and they DO NOT represent their constituents anyway.
Thoughts..........?
GOD Bless you,
Mairi
Check this Article:
http://www.naturalnews.com/027439_Congress_democracy_America.html
> I saw one of the interviews with the Col. He was spot on! This man should be calling more of the shots for the military. He does NOT mince words or play games.....you remember....the way our military USED to be!
I just sent out info on how P/C was destroying this Country recently. Everyone has to constantly "pussy-foot" around issues in fear they "might" insult someone else......BALDERDASH!
In my world now, there is ONLY "black and white"......like my Dad. What an AMAZING person he was! How I miss him! He was 100% Polish......and LOVED Polish jokes. He just couldn't get enough of them. I am 1/2 Polish, and much like my Dad, I love and retell Polish jokes like there was no tomorrow. Anyone who may be insulted....PLUG YOUR EARS!
This has gotten so unbelievably out of hand.....P/C is what empowers people like PIGLOSI! Keep the masses scurrying on "non-issues".....and BLAST them when they are not looking....or....even when they ARE!
I am no longer comfortable with "waiting" till the mid-terms. I believe Americans must REMOVE every member of Congress, the usurper-in-chief.......AND all members of our judiciary until we find trustworthy replacements who will ADHERE to the Constitution. All laws passed since Chet Arthur should be repealed. We now know he was also a usurper. Nothing he did was legal....and therefore.....IMHO....everything since can be judged on that foundation....and DISMISSED!
That means, OUT with the FED! OUT with IRS and Income Tax......out with Medicare and Medicaid......I say, turn it over to the private sector, and let them run with it. Things will be a bit messy for a while.....but I believe only for the short term. Americans are VERY good at working against the odds....and I am on the side of our People.
Call me crazy, but there is a story out today calling for the end of Congress since it's practicality is long out-dated. We have instant access to media....legislation.....and it is not difficult for the People to vote and have their decision COUNT! I am for it.....those who care to take the time to insure this Country is guided under Constitutional Principles should be checking the situation out. There is no more need for Congress, and they DO NOT represent their constituents anyway.
Thoughts..........?
GOD Bless you,
Mairi
Check this Article:
http://www.naturalnews.com/027439_Congress_democracy_America.html
Carl Svensson Congratulates Dan Halloran
>On behalf of the gang, I would like to thank you and your Queens allies for a job well done; we know that it took a lot of effort, time, and money.
You now find yourself in a unique situation having won with the support of the broad coalition that is necessary for pro-freedom forces to be able to contest elections successfully in cities throughout New York State. It appears, for example, that you are the highest elected official who ran on the Libertarian line in the US, and their are accolades that they are showing upon you (via their various e-lists) are well deserved. I hope that you can work with themselves to re-evaluate their strategic and tactical guidelines which are self-destructive and a detriment to putting forth a winning coalition of parties.
The Conservatives and Republicans, especially in the Bronx and in Kings,too often refuse to work together. Hopefully, you can help resolve that situtation in time too.
Best Wishes,
Carl
You now find yourself in a unique situation having won with the support of the broad coalition that is necessary for pro-freedom forces to be able to contest elections successfully in cities throughout New York State. It appears, for example, that you are the highest elected official who ran on the Libertarian line in the US, and their are accolades that they are showing upon you (via their various e-lists) are well deserved. I hope that you can work with themselves to re-evaluate their strategic and tactical guidelines which are self-destructive and a detriment to putting forth a winning coalition of parties.
The Conservatives and Republicans, especially in the Bronx and in Kings,too often refuse to work together. Hopefully, you can help resolve that situtation in time too.
Best Wishes,
Carl
Town of Olive Budget Badly Managed
It doesn't seem strange to Democrats that on the one hand their media, the New York Times and the like, have been announcing deflation while the Democrats raise taxes by 6%. Does it seem illogical to Democrats that taxes are going up when they are claiming that prices are going down? I guess not. Democrats are able to have prices going up and down at the same time. They are the Alice-in-Wonderland Party.
A correspondent attended the Town of Olive budget meeting. The Town officials here are wasters who have trouble answering questions and become insulting toward anyone who asks. In a town of about 4,500 people the Town is holding a near-million dollar bank account, rumor has it to build an un-needed office building. When people ask questions, the goosestepping socialists-in-power insult them.
My correspondent writes about the Budget meeting:
>...the Budget hearing the other night was a joke. There were the usual attendees - and a few people that seemed to be there as support to Berndt and company. Rita Vanacore was there - Donnie Van Buren was there - no press - and, oh yes - Linda Burkhardt's husband was there filling in for Linda... That's another joke...
Anyway, they shaved off about $100,000 from the original amount to be raised by taxes. Some of the area they used to do this were areas that they had capital reserves and could pull from them to offset any suspected deficit during the year. $20,000 here and $10,000 there -
They reduced some of the items they had high-dollared before - knowing it would be less actual cost - but still left a substantial amount that will likely be a cushion when all is said and done. They continued to undercut the expected revenues.
Berndt (Town Supervisor) is of a mind that by creating the unexpended balance, he can reduce the amount to be raised by taxes, without it creating too much of a stir each year. Few, if any, come and see what's happening. Even Berndt can't seem to see his own folly in doing things this way. If the budget numbers weren't inflated, there would be no need to raise the higher amounts. If things were more realistic, the amount to be raised by taxes would be the same whether you have the unexpended balance or you don't - he just can't seem to grasp that. What really bothered me was the Contingency account. They have allocated $75,000 to this fund - and 2008's balance was showing zero. So I asked what amount had been allocated to this account in past years - and was told it's always been $75,000... I'll have to look at some of my preliminary budgets - I still have them from when I was on the board... That amount conveniently disappears each year - what a slush fund that is...
I also have the percentages that each area has increased over last year. General Fund, Highway Fund, Fire District, etc. Overall, the amount that our taxes are going up will be 6.2%. There seems little chance of that changing at this point.
Bruce (Town Board) got quite impolite with Rita at one point during the evening... "I explain this again - what don't you understand about this?" He was rude and very demeaning to her query about the unexpended balance and how it works. She persisted and said that 11% of the budget is a large unexpended balance - and she would prefer to see much less - to which Berndt responded that "okay, so next year, when I come to you with only $75,000 in unexpended balance and have to raise your taxes even higher, you won't be so happy." and Rita responded back by saying that "she would rather have her money now than to be giving extra to the town."
Of course, there was no press at this meeting*...It infuriates me that this does not get out.
Then Berndt closed the public hearing for the night - and they started going over the bills and signing off on payroll. Sylvia passed out the minutes from the last meeting - and it was obvious that they were having their Audit Meeting. I believe that Berndt actually "announced" it as such just in passing - but nothing was brought up for discussion - and when all had finished doing that little chore, they closed that meeting and thanked everyone for coming. We were driving home at 8:32. So an hour. And not all of that for the budget.
It's amazing how asleep this town is. And it's a wonder why more people don't care. I don't understand it - and it truly makes me wonder why I bother to care so much.
Anyway - thought you would like to know a little more about what happened the other night.
*I'm not sure that our little local newspaper that comes for free in our mailboxes every two weeks is really "press". The writers are local hippies and housewives, at least one of whom is related to a Town official.
A correspondent attended the Town of Olive budget meeting. The Town officials here are wasters who have trouble answering questions and become insulting toward anyone who asks. In a town of about 4,500 people the Town is holding a near-million dollar bank account, rumor has it to build an un-needed office building. When people ask questions, the goosestepping socialists-in-power insult them.
My correspondent writes about the Budget meeting:
>...the Budget hearing the other night was a joke. There were the usual attendees - and a few people that seemed to be there as support to Berndt and company. Rita Vanacore was there - Donnie Van Buren was there - no press - and, oh yes - Linda Burkhardt's husband was there filling in for Linda... That's another joke...
Anyway, they shaved off about $100,000 from the original amount to be raised by taxes. Some of the area they used to do this were areas that they had capital reserves and could pull from them to offset any suspected deficit during the year. $20,000 here and $10,000 there -
They reduced some of the items they had high-dollared before - knowing it would be less actual cost - but still left a substantial amount that will likely be a cushion when all is said and done. They continued to undercut the expected revenues.
Berndt (Town Supervisor) is of a mind that by creating the unexpended balance, he can reduce the amount to be raised by taxes, without it creating too much of a stir each year. Few, if any, come and see what's happening. Even Berndt can't seem to see his own folly in doing things this way. If the budget numbers weren't inflated, there would be no need to raise the higher amounts. If things were more realistic, the amount to be raised by taxes would be the same whether you have the unexpended balance or you don't - he just can't seem to grasp that. What really bothered me was the Contingency account. They have allocated $75,000 to this fund - and 2008's balance was showing zero. So I asked what amount had been allocated to this account in past years - and was told it's always been $75,000... I'll have to look at some of my preliminary budgets - I still have them from when I was on the board... That amount conveniently disappears each year - what a slush fund that is...
I also have the percentages that each area has increased over last year. General Fund, Highway Fund, Fire District, etc. Overall, the amount that our taxes are going up will be 6.2%. There seems little chance of that changing at this point.
Bruce (Town Board) got quite impolite with Rita at one point during the evening... "I explain this again - what don't you understand about this?" He was rude and very demeaning to her query about the unexpended balance and how it works. She persisted and said that 11% of the budget is a large unexpended balance - and she would prefer to see much less - to which Berndt responded that "okay, so next year, when I come to you with only $75,000 in unexpended balance and have to raise your taxes even higher, you won't be so happy." and Rita responded back by saying that "she would rather have her money now than to be giving extra to the town."
Of course, there was no press at this meeting*...It infuriates me that this does not get out.
Then Berndt closed the public hearing for the night - and they started going over the bills and signing off on payroll. Sylvia passed out the minutes from the last meeting - and it was obvious that they were having their Audit Meeting. I believe that Berndt actually "announced" it as such just in passing - but nothing was brought up for discussion - and when all had finished doing that little chore, they closed that meeting and thanked everyone for coming. We were driving home at 8:32. So an hour. And not all of that for the budget.
It's amazing how asleep this town is. And it's a wonder why more people don't care. I don't understand it - and it truly makes me wonder why I bother to care so much.
Anyway - thought you would like to know a little more about what happened the other night.
*I'm not sure that our little local newspaper that comes for free in our mailboxes every two weeks is really "press". The writers are local hippies and housewives, at least one of whom is related to a Town official.
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